


Baby, Don't Grow Up

by FireboltSparks



Series: Baby, Don't Grow Up [1]
Category: The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Alpha Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Featuring Mama Wei Ying and Papa Lan Zhan, Fluff, I dunno what else, M/M, Mated WangXian, Omega Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Protective Parents, basically 6 pages of cute WangXian family dynamics, just writing this fic made me happy and i hope reading it makes you smile too!, my first work in this fandom!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 09:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20905391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireboltSparks/pseuds/FireboltSparks
Summary: “Mama! Papa! Wake up, please! Wake up!”“A-Yuan!” Wei WuXian groans, refusing to acknowledge reality as he tries to snuggle back into his husband’s arms, who has already begun to stir. “My darling boy, let your poor mother get some sleep, mm? It’s too early to wake up!”OR:A'Yuan tries to wake his parents up on his special day but gets roped into a snugglefest instead (aka a scenting session).





	Baby, Don't Grow Up

**Author's Note:**

> It's been ages since I wrote anything but the power of WangXian overcomes all! We can never have enough fluffy little A'Yuan fics so I wrote one myself. :) 
> 
> Important: It's my favorite little ray of sunshine, Xiao Zhan's (aka Wei Ying in GDC) birthday today!!! Dedicating this to our smol bean. I hope you have an amazing day. <3

The morning light flitters through the window, casting playful shadows across the deeply sleeping couple. The birds have long since begun chirping and the rest of the Lan disciples are bustling about their day (but in a very calm manner of course because running is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses). Though many give the closed _Jingshi_ door questioning looks, no one says anything. No one dares to wake the pair sleeping inside.

Though it is past time for Hanguang-Jun to rise, the pair had spent a tough night battling a particularly vicious spirit. It had taken the combined effort of both Wei WuXian’s melodious _ChenQing _and Lan WangJi’s powerful _WangJi_ to subdue the angry being. It had lasted three grueling days and nights. It was nothing that they couldn’t handle of course but having spent more energy than normal, both parents were exhausted and had fallen into a deep sleep as soon as they finally entered their _Jingshi_.

Clearly though, no one told their son that as the normally well-mannered Lan Sizhui bursts through the door and lands with a dull thump between the two adults.

“Mama! Papa! Wake up, please! Wake up!”

“A-Yuan!” Wei WuXian groans, refusing to acknowledge reality as he tries to snuggle back into his husband’s arms, who has already begun to stir. “My darling boy, let your poor mother get some sleep, mm? It’s too early to wake up!”

Sizhui giggles and shakes his head, prone to rising early like his father. “Mama, it’s half-past 6 in the morning. I already waited for so long!” He wriggles his way further in between Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, stubborn in his desire to wake them up. _Of all the days for Mama and Papa to sleep in, why today?!, _he thinks grumpily.

“Papa, why are you still sleeping? Did you forget what today is?” He pouts at his father, looking so much like a young Wei Ying that the cold Hanguang-Jun has no option but to give in to his son.

Shaking the tiredness out of his system, Lan Zhan sits up slightly, leaning against the mahogany headboard of their king size bed. He tucks the lively boy into his side and quietly nuzzles Sizhui’s hair, pushing out waves of his own Alpha scent. Sizhui in turn, reacts immediately to his father’s scent, dropping his head on Lan WangJi’s broad shoulder.

“Would not forget. Special day.”

Sizhui stills, a pleased smile lighting up his face. As he lays against his father, he feels the rumbling intonations of his father’s deep voice reverberate through the silent room.

“That’s right, my little kitten, “Wei Ying interjects, still curled up under the silk blankets. “How could we ever forget that today is your Coming-of-Age ceremony? Not after you’ve been constantly reminding us for the last two months, heh.” Sizhui can hear the smirk in his mother’s voice.

“That’s not true!” Sizhui protests, the tips of his ears turning pink (just as adorable as another certain someone). It’s true that he _had_ brought it up at least once a week and it’s also true that the actual ceremony was not only much later in evening, close to sunset. But still! A’Yuan’s been counting down the days for a while now. Presenting means that his slowly growing core will strengthen at a faster rate. Maybe instead of staying at home, he might get to go on a real Night Hunt with his parents! A’Yuan just wants to hurry and wishes time to flow faster. But in his excitement, he forgets that Mama always finds a way to tease him into embarrassment. He turns to press further into his father’s side, sticking his tongue out at Wei WuXian. 

Wei Ying coos internally at his cute little boy, who is growing up _much_ too fast. Soon, he might not want to spend time with his parents, might refuse all the kisses that Wei Ying loves to shower him with, might not follow his father around the Cloud Recesses, trying to imitate the older man’s stern expressions. His heart breaks just thinking about his baby growing up and away from them, especially as the time of his Coming-of-Age ceremony draws nearer. 

The Coming-of-Age ceremony, also known as the Presentation, is one of the most important times in every child’s life when they turned 13 years old. It is during this ceremony that the child “presents” its inherent traits; that is, whether he or she is an Alpha, Beta, or Omega. With Lan Zhan being an Alpha and Wei Ying an Omega, there is no guessing which of the three Sizhui will be.

Not that it matters one way or another to his parents, but it will set up him for how the rest of his life plays out and the types of situations he would need to handle. For example, would he present as an Alpha and need to learn how to control his power and correctly set a Claim Mark on his mate? Or as an Omega, he would need to learn to handle his monthly heat cycles among other things. If he presented as a Beta, he would be a mix of the two and learn how to balance the two opposing natures. In any case, today is Sizhui’s 13th birthday and the Lan Clan has been fervently preparing to host the ceremony in Gusu for their famous (or infamous if you asked Lan Qiren) couple’s only child.

And not just the Lan Clan would be attending either. Hearing about the special occasion, family and friends from many different sects had gathered throughout the week in preparation for the celebration. In fact, Wei Ying was overjoyed to reunite with his favorite _shidi_ Jiang Cheng (who would oftentimes reply with a grumpy _I’m your only shidi you idiot!_) and his lovely _shijie, _Jiang Yanli, who was expecting her second child with her own Alpha husband Jin Zixuan. Jin Ling, their firstborn, had presented earlier in the year and the siblings (but mostly Wei Ying) had a fantastic time smothering the new Beta with hearty congratulations. Sizhui had merely given his cousin a _“this is what I deal with every day, it’s your turn now”_ look.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it), such an event attracts not just their trusted loved ones, but other cultivators across the world, all hoping to witness the child of one of the most powerful couples alive. Optimistically, Wei WuXian welcomes their blessings for his son with open arms but Lan WangJi is more cautious (at which point Wei Ying had reassured him with a kiss and a sincere “Don’t worry so much, Er-Gege! No one would dare try to hurt our A-Yuan, especially if they do not want the wrath of the 4 major Sects upon them!”). This had not been enough to satisfy his husband, who personally set up protective barriers throughout the area. Wei Ying had only shaken his head in amusement but if a few of his own talismans ended up in the mix, no one said a word.

A-Yuan’s poke on his cheek brings Wei Ying back to the present. “No arguing with your Mama! You want to know why? Because I know a special technique to get my naughty boy to listen.” Wei Ying growls teasingly and attacks the boy with a flurry of tickles, dragging him to lay down on the bed and into his own arms.

“Papa, help!” A-Yuan shrieks in laughter, imploring his father to defend him. Lan Zhan simply shakes his head in silent amusement, watching the scene play out with fond eyes. With A-Yuan trapped in his embrace, Wei Ying ceases attacking with fingers and instead begins peppering little kisses all over his face. A refreshing wave of fresh lotus flowers wafts over Sizhui, mingling in with the stronger scent of sandalwood. Without even realizing it himself, Sizhui relaxes as the pent-up tightness in his body begins to loosen. Even though his excitement hasn’t died down, he can’t deny that it feels good to lie in between his parents, completely enveloped in their familiar scents.

After three days without them, A’Yuan isn’t ashamed to admit he missed Mama and Papa very much. He knows they were busy doing Very Important Things, like saving people. With his parents gone, Uncle Xichen had kept him company, allowing the intelligent boy access to their Library Pavilion. When he wasn’t busy devouring cultivation knowledge, the other Lan disciples and of course his family members, had all banded around him, trying to keep his mind off the missing presence of his parents. Jin Ling even let him play with Fairy, who normally couldn’t be around them because of Mama. But it had only worked for so long.

Not only that, but A’Yuan particularly missed their scenting sessions, that special time when he had his parents all to himself. During those times, Mama wasn’t the scary founder of demonic cultivation and Papa wasn’t the legendary Second Jade of Lan. Instead, they were just his Mama and Papa, all soft caresses and loving smiles.

With all the chaos in preparing and hunting down the spirit, both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan had been preoccupied, leaving little time to scent their son. Scenting was something that had to be done at least twice a day for young children as they had no real status of their own. As they struggled with the foreign reactions occurring in their growing bodies, a parent’s scent could calm their anxious minds. Depending on the strength of the cultivator, scenting could dull or even remove some of the pain associated with fully forming a status. Despite turning 13 today, A’Yuan was still quite vulnerable, not having even gone through the Ceremony yet.

Since Sizhui was born, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan had always prioritized time for their son and had never missed a session before. Perhaps that’s why missing several days hadn’t weakened him too much. But still Wei Ying’s maternal instincts are never wrong. He catches the slight redness in A-Yuan’s eyes, the way he rubs his knees together as if jumping on the bed caused some discomfort, the way he lightly shivers even though it's the middle of summer. Wei Ying knows Lan Zhan noticed right away as well, if the sharp look he gives Wei Ying and the rising temperature in the room are any indication.

Knowing his precocious son would find a way to argue back if he even mentions the possibility of Sizhui being tired, Wei Ying uses their own little adventure as an excuse to settle down instead.

“You may be young and full of energy, baby boy, but Mama and Papa aren’t quite so young anymore, you know?” Wei Ying continues glibly, swiftly pulling the blankets over the three of them with one hand while the other strokes A-Yuan’s shoulder length hair. “Our poor tired bodies need some more rest!”

A-Yuan’s eyebrows furrow as he tries to make sense of this. His father is the powerful Hanguang-Jun, always known to be where the chaos is, and his mother, the frightening Yiling Patriarch, Wei WuXian, who chose to carve a new path towards demonic cultivating. Together, they had taken down the power-hungry Wen Sect during the legendary battle at Nightless City and probably vanquished more evil beings than the major Sects combined. While ordinary cultivators might struggle to keep up, he doubts fighting the spirit had really caused any damage at all.

He sneaks a disbelieving glance between his parents, not convinced in the least. When he meets his father’s eyes, Lan Zhan impassively stares back and nods, even going as far as to fake a quiet cough. Wei Ying stifles his laughter at his husband’s bad acting and quickly brings A-Yuan’s attention back to him. After all, he is the more dramatic one in the family anyways!

He gently grabs Sizhui’s face with both hands, squishing his cheeks together. “Look into my eyes! See how exhausted I am? I can hardly bear to get up out of this bed. Won’t you be a good boy for your ailing mother and rest with us for a bit longer? There’s no charm or talisman that can get me back on my feet like my little A’Yuan!”

Wei Ying’s praise brings about another round of those red tipped ears. “Mamaaaa”, Sizhui groans adorably. “I’m not little anymore! I’m almost a real adult now. I’m old enough to come with you and Papa on your Night Hunts. Right, Papa?” He turns beseeching eyes at Lan Zhan, silently pleading with him to say yes.

Wei WuXian snickers quietly, knowing _exactly_ why his wily son chose to ask Lan Zhan instead of him. From the very moment that one Lan Sizhui came into existence, the all-powerful Hanguang-Jun had been felled with a blow no lighter than a weight of one pudgy little fist, firmly grasping his long guqin-weathered finger. No one would entertain the thought for even a second if he shouted from the rooftops that the icy Second Jade of Lan had tears streaming down his face the first time he heard the word “Papa” from that sweet chirpy voice. But Wei Ying supposes it’s alright if no one believes him on this one. This is just another secret that he would keep forever safe in his heart.

But as precious as it is, it means that more often than not, _Wei Ying_ is the one who often has to deliver the unwanted “no’s” just because his silly (but oh so lovable) husband can’t resist those big grey eyes….Except when it comes to A’Yuan’s safety.

Lan Zhan makes a low sound, as if the very thought of his child in the way of malicious corpses and wild monsters infuriates him. “You are still too young, little one. Patience”. He softens his words by sliding down next to the cuddling pair and moving closer until Sizhui lies securely between the two of the them.

Even though he’s quite comfortable, A’Yuan’s pout becomes more pronounced, responding to his father’s rare denial. “But Papa- “, he starts to complain. Lan WangJi quickly quiets him by pressing his son’s face into his neck, close to his own scent mark. A’ Yuan follows willingly, just deeply breathing in. Soon, tiny muffled purrs fill the _Jingshi_ as he voices his contentment for his parents to hear.

A’Yuan truly does want to Night Hunt with his parents and he promises himself that he will _absolutely_ find a way to convince them but it’s suddenly hard to find the energy to form coherent words. He really did feel fine these past few days, even without his parents’ scent marking him but now they’re both physically here, surrounding him with their solid loving presence that overcomes lingering aches he didn’t even realize he’d been carrying around. A’Yuan’s eyes fall shut, knowing he’s safe, he’s protected.

Wei Ying scoots even in closer, rubbing his back with long even strokes. “We’re so sorry we weren’t here for you, baby,” he hears Mama whisper sadly. A’Yuan wants to turn his head, tell Mama it’s alright, that’s he’s fine, that it’s not Mama and Papa’s fault, but his limbs feel so heavy he can barely move. And Papa’s got his arms wrapped tight around him. So snug that he can feel his father’s steady heartbeats against his chest, lulling him deeper into a peaceful sleep, his senses still bursting with the sweet aroma of sandalwood and lotus blossoms. As his last conscious thoughts slowly fade away, he thinks, _the ceremony can wait just a little while longer_. _For now, I’m happy exactly where I am._

~***~ ~***~ ~***~

It’s been some time since A’Yuan fell asleep during their scenting session, couple hours or so. He lies perfectly still on top of Lan Zhan, who hasn’t moved an inch as those small palms curl loosely into his white Lan robes. He’s breathing easier now, his heartbeats slower and steadier. 

Both parents sigh in relief.

Scenting sessions don’t typically last this long, but Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian need to make up for lost time, making sure their son is fully encased in their scent. For once, Wei Ying is quiet as he oh so carefully shifts their sleeping child back into the middle of the bed so his head can rest easily on the pillow. Once A’Yuan is situated, Wei Ying turns his body towards him, throwing one arm around Sizhui, the other tucked under his own head.

It’s been 13 years, but Wei Ying can’t help but stare in awe at the perfect creature that they had been gifted with. He never thought he’d ever have the opportunity to be a parent, but he thanks the gods every day for his little miracle. He looks up to catch his husband staring at him, lips faintly quirked, as if knowing exactly what he’s thinking about (which he probably does since Wei Ying knows his Lan Zhan can read him like an open book).

“He’s so beautiful, isn’t he, Lan Er Gege? We must have been truly blessed in our past lifetimes”.

“Mn,” Lan WangJi nods. “Just like his mother.”

“Lan Zhan!”, Wei Ying clutches his chest, utterly scandalized. “I told you to warn a man before you give him a heart attack. You can’t just say sweet things like that out of nowhere, you know! I can’t handle it.”

Lan Zhan says nothing. He simply stares back at Wei WuXian, amber eyes warm and full of affection. Wei Ying giggles at his romantic husband (again, who would have ever thought??) and blows him a kiss.

“Come, dear husband. Let us get some rest while we can. Once A’Yuan’s awake, he definitely won’t leave us be the second time around!”

“Mn.”

With that, Lan WangJi grabs the blanket that lies forgotten at the foot of their bed. Deftly unfolding it, he tucks one corner around Wei WuXian and brings the other one to his side, neatly trapping their son in between. Making sure that both of his precious bundles are fully covered, he turns on his side as well, facing Wei Ying.

A’Yuan fidgets and makes a low snuffling sound at the flurry of movement. Lan Zhan hushes him, a cool hand tenderly stroking his cheek before moving down to lightly pat his stomach. Wei Ying’s hand joins Lan Zhan’s in calming their child, crooning softly. It doesn’t take long for Sizhui to settle back into his slumber.

Wei Ying pats a few more times before twining his fingers with Lan Zhan, leaving their joined hands as a protective weight on A’Yuan. Even if his baby is growing up too fast, at least he has this moment, one which he will treasure forever.

“Rest now”, Lan Zhan commands his mate as he gently squeezes their interlocked fingers. Wei Ying makes a noise in agreement and closes his own eyes, giving into sleep’s sweet call.

Lan WangJi stays up for a little while longer, the Alpha in him relishing the feeling of having his whole world, quite literally, safe in his arms. It would be chaos again when both of his whirlwinds wake up, but like Wei Ying, Lan Zhan chooses to cherish the quiet moment, one only he gets to see. With that blissful thought, he too follows his family to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> So that's it! Hope you enjoyed my take on our favorite WangXian family. Comments, kudos most welcome! I'm marking this as complete for now but may come back and add in more one-shots if inspiration strikes. 
> 
> Also, I have a [twitter](https://twitter.com/softxianxian), where I cry every day about all things MDZS/CQL related. Come yell at me about how perfect WangXian are (or anything else if you want)!


End file.
